Eye Arts Guild
  • Home
  • Gallery
    • Frances Beasley
    • Harriet Bowes
    • Les Bragg
    • Lesley Buckwell
    • Noreen Couch
    • Carolyn Clark
    • Ian Cotgrove
    • Avril Court
    • June Drummond
    • Penny Evans
    • Angela Hall
    • Jackie Johnson
    • Josie Jones
    • Sally Procner
    • Richard Kite
    • Sally Ladbrooke
    • Hannah Muskett
    • Emily Procner
    • Maggie-Anne Reardon
    • Rachel Ritchie
    • Diana Simmons
    • Sally Tyley
    • Eileen Walsh
    • Former Members/ Friends of EAG >
      • John Blake, deceased
      • Joan Henriques, Canada
      • Angela Lee, deceased
      • Anne Lowe
      • Tom Oakley, deceased
      • Cynthia May/Ridger
      • John Ridger, deceased
  • Events
    • SUFFOLK OPEN STUDIOS
    • Winter Programme 2024-25
    • Summer Programme 2025
    • EXHIBITIONS
  • Stop Press
  • Blog
  • Chairman's Messages
  • Messages from members
    • CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
  • Contact us
  • Members Only
  • PATCHWORK PICTURES
  • SELF PORTRAITS
  • Links
  • History
  • ARCHIVES 2016
    • Burston 30.6.16
    • Blacksmith's 16.6.16
    • Redgrave 9.6.16
    • Exhibition Private View
    • Blacksmith's 2.6.16
    • Blacksmith's 2.6.16
    • Stradbroke 26.5.16
    • Westhorpe 19.5.16
    • Gaze's, 12.5.16
    • Thursday 28 April 2016
    • Thursday 21 4 16
    • Chairman's Project 7.4.16
    • Thursday 14 April '16
    • Thursday 31 March '16
    • Trevor Osborne's workshop 3.3.16
    • Thursday 17.3.16
    • Thursday 10.3.16
    • Frances's Workshop 18.2.16
    • Thursday 25.2.16
    • Thursday 11.2.16
    • Thursday 4.2.16
    • Thursday 28.1.16
    • Thursday 21.1.16
    • Thursday 14.1.16
    • Thursday 7.1.16
  • Archives 2015
    • Trevor Osborne's pastels 23.4.15 workshop
    • Thursday meeting 26 March '15
    • Thursday 3.12.15
    • Christmas Party 2015
    • Thursday 26.11.15
    • Thursday 19.11.15
    • Thursday 12.11.15
    • Thursday 5.11.15
    • Thursday 29.10.15
    • Thursday 22.10.15
    • Trevor Osborne's workshop 8.10.15
    • Tracey Waghorn's acrylics workshop
    • Thursday 19 February 2015
    • Thursday 29 January 2015
    • Thornham & Blacksmith's in June '15
    • Stroll & sketch 21 May 2015
    • Thursday 19 March '15

28TH NOVEMBER 2024 - WITH ANGELA

28/11/2024

0 Comments

 
I finally made it back to the Bowling Club this morning.  What a treat to be with real people after what seems like, and on reflection actually is, weeks of seclusion.  It was great to see everyone today, and experience the wonderful atmosphere of concentration that descends as the members settle to work. 
Angela brought a clever still life, with varied textures, shapes and colours, and proved a very good model for the portrait painters.  there were about 18 of us in attendance.
There were at least three sheets to sign this morning, involving the Christmas party and Open Studios, more below...
First here are some pieces done by members who brought their own work in, rather than using the still life or the model.  You are always free to come and enjoy the companionship of the morning, while working on a project of your own. 
Here is a watercolour that Jenny has started.  Let's hope we get to see it develop from this promising beginning.
Picture
Picture
Carolyn took a week off last week for heavy cooking responsibilities, and is following up this week with a drawing of winter vegetables.  She said, 'The squash was half eaten, which accounts for its odd shape.  I used InkTense watercolour pencils and blended it'.


Diana came in to the Bowling Club this morning, and worked on two of her still life paintings at once.
And this is from Judith, combining something from a magazine with the watercolour workshop.  She had some criticism of the balance of light and dark, but the general consensus was that it is very successful.
Picture
Josie produced a mixture of her own work and the still life.  An abstract, a very plumptious pumpkin, and the third, she said she wasn't sure what it was going to be!
Here are the still life offerings...
First, Jane, with two very detailed drawings, the still life, and a tree study. (Sorry about the shadow across the tree, Jane, I think that's my camera)
Next, Lesley, with two watercolours.  She had tried not to go over the same ground twice (something that I gather came out of the recent workshop), but had succoumbed anyway.  Very difficult to achieve the right depth of colour without revisiting the subject in this case, I think.  The composition of the group works very well
Here is Penny's drawing.  she said this was not something she generally does, but it is good to stretch oneself. She said she will probably try again another time.
Picture
Picture
This is Maggie-Anne's lovely composition from the still life.  The jug is particularly successful, with all its reflections.  good practice for the Chairman's project!
And this is from Barry, who has been quite successful in capturing the differences in texture of the fruit.
Picture
Frances decided to challenge herself today using a simple pen, having found at home a drawing she had done in the same manner some years ago.  She drew elements of the still life, a cup from among the club's trophies, and Angela.  Again, the reflections are good practice for the project, and she has captured the shapes very well.  She said the challenge is that you cannot erase, so you have to consider what you do very carefully.
Frances' sketch of Angela leads us nicely into the portraits.
First, Avril filled several pages of her sketchbook and also made a larger portrait with more colour added to it.
Elizabeth also sketched a number of portraits. A number of the artists said the standing portrait had been challenging because of the angle of Angela's body.
Here is Ian J's work from this morning.
I have left Harriet's as a single photo, as they looked very good as a group. It was said that she had dealt with the folds of fabric in the clothing very well, helping to convey the angle and shapes of the poses.
Picture
And here are Sally T's portraits.
I did a drawing from the still life, photographed it and added colour to it on my iPad.  I also did a quick (10 minute) sketch of Angela, using digital charcoal.  I apologise to Angela for the likeness!
Several notices were given out this morning, and the sheets for sign up were many!
1.  The collages have been put into the frames in Thornham Magna village hall, and Mick reports they are looking very good.
2.  There are only two weeks to the Christmas party on 12th December.  If you are coming next week, please sign up to let us know if you will be coming to the party, whether you are bringing a guest, and what food you will contribute to the feast.
3.  Don't forget, if you are doing something for the Chairman's project, 'On Reflection', you will need to bring it with you for presentation at the party.
4.   There are two pieces of the patchwork picture still available for collection next week, if you are interested.

Next week's blogger is Avril.

0 Comments

21st NOVEMBER 2024 - WITH BEA

21/11/2024

0 Comments

 
Only 10 members (and guest Penny, who had come to give EAG a try) braved the cold today. Several others have various illnesses/are convalescing from operations/undertaking grandparent duties. Personally, I [Hannah] am still grounded by a positive Covid test, which I hope will change in the next couple of days. I was also doubtful yesterday when I looked outside and saw this... It actually got quite a lot worse before it all went away, but was back this morning.


Picture
Anyway, we all missed a lovely seasonal display of bright autumn colours in the still life brought in by Bea, including various fruits, veg and flowers.  As model she did two long poses and kept really still, a miraculous feat.

Thanks to Avril for stepping in as photographer.  By the end of the session Penny had decided she would like to join us, so welcome to her.

Ian’s pencil sketches...
He was happy although they did not show up well for photographs.
He ran out of space on the full length portrait -  Jackie suggested he used bigger paper to loosen up
Three members next, left to right - 1. Jill’s gourd watercolour was very realistic, stunning. 2. Our new member Penny made a loose watercolour which members thought looked Japanese. 3. Barry said he was not satisfied with the proportions of his portraits and that the neo colour was very intense either side of the nose.
Jackie said she liked to show the planes of the face and leave the white paper to define the highlights and people thought the eyes draw you in...

Picture
Picture
Lesley’s is watercolour on mixed media paper. The workshop gave her confidence to try to do something only once and not overcolour, although she felt the sedums were too heavy...
Maggie Anne used watercolour pencils.
We all agreed the cauliflower was gorgeous and she said she will try to finish the basket...
Picture
Elizabeth found it hard to get the eyes right. She likes the orange background and uses Jarrards blockingford paper and cuts it up to a half or quarter size. We said it was nice to see the violet charcoal pencil.
Avril tried different methods today and said the first one reminded her of Grayson Perry. As usual, she was very productive, and there are some good likenesses here.
Jenny left early, but this is as far as she got...
Let's hope we see the finished result, as it is a very good start.
Picture
Here is Diana's contribution to the week's efforts.
'Full of good intentions, but I haven’t actually painted anything for a couple of weeks!'

Picture
And I have been trying to put together some illustrations for Oscar's Grand Tour, when he went missing in 2021, and went on a long trip up to Horsford in Norfolk, out to Lowestoft, and back to Horsford, before we got him back.  These are a mixture of proper drawing with pencil and use of Procreate.  The locations are in Thorndon.
Finally a reminder from Lesley. There are now only 3 weeks to finish your interpretation of the Chairman ‘s project ‘On Reflection’ to be shown at the Christmas party. The party will take a similar form to last year’s. If you intend to come, please sign the list next to the register at the Bowls club, and indicate what you will contribute the shared buffet lunch.

Thank you very much to Avril and Lesley for words and pictures this week; I could not have managed without you!

Next week Angela will be providing the still life and model, and Hannah will be the Blogger.
0 Comments

Watercolour workshop with Andrew Pitt

14/11/2024

3 Comments

 
Thirteen of us attended Andrew Pitt’s all day workshop at the Bowls Club today, and by the end of the day we all felt that we had had a full work-out.
Andrew started with a demonstration of a harbour landscape working from a detailed sketch.
The initial sketch.                               Adding the sky half —way.                The finished picture
He used quite a limited palette of Windsor and Newton paints, four versions of each of the three primaries, with some extra additions
Andrew has a wealth of knowledge to draw on, so I have included some of these little nuggets here.
  • You need to get three things right, the drawing, to make sure that your subject will fit onto the paper. 
    The tone, don’t leave out the white and the black working in mid-tones makes a dull painting .working from white to darkest dark, and three  shades in between . 
  • Strike a balance between abstraction and photo-realism.
  • Paint everything once before you go back to make adjustments 
  • Restrict yourself to mixing two colours, certainly no more than three.
  • ​clouds get warmer and smaller towards the horizon.
With our heads full of this wisdom we started work, while we ate our lunch Andrew demonstrated a seasonal portrait
Working…


And here are the final results…

Ian. J.                                                           Ian C.                                            Jackie

​me.                                                              Jill.                                                     Josie

​Judith.                                                     Maggie Ann.                                        Lesley

​Harriet.                                                       Barry.                                               Avril
Avril
Carolyn has sent a lovely seasonal picture of the Beech leaves bringing autumn glory to her garden.
And a final quote from Andrew
​”It’s not what you paint, but how you painted it”

(If you cannot see a full view of any of the pictures,  tap/ click to expand)

that should keep you going until next week …
  • A reminder of the Chairman’s project - “On Reflection”
  • Next week’s still life and model session will be led by Bea Murrie.
  • Next week’s blogger in chief is Hannah.

phew!

Sally


3 Comments

7th November with john walters

7/11/2024

0 Comments

 
15 members showed up today and as usual had a chat over tea etc and then got down to business. John provided a simple but effective still life and sat very patiently for three poses.
Views of people down to work concentrating hard
Barry said he needed another hour to do justice to the painting and he was not happy with it. He also finished the 100 celebration mixed media from last week 
Ian boxed in his sketch's , close up and felt he had difficulty with the eyes
Jane enjoyed this week and it showed in her sketches
Sally P used neo colours for the hydrangeas and drew Ian C but he kept moving so it was difficult.  She put the colour on and then used water. John said the brass worked well.
Ian got out his watercolours getting back in the swing of using them as the watercolour workshop is next week 
Jackie thought it was an interesting morning and that it was hard to get the angles right when someone is reading
Harriet did some nice shading and gestures 
Elizabeth found the session relaxing, Josie liked the brown background and thought it gave life and depth
The first one is Maggie-Anne's bottle which was done with pen, ink and pencil. Second is Richard's sketch and last Josie's which she says is working progress.
Three of my sketches from this morning
A photo of us standing around discussing this mornings efforts,
last but not least Sally L wonderful wash with soluable graphite, black and white 
Now e mails sent from the morning session and people on holiday and home.
​Diana decided to combine John's lovely dried hydrangeas with the small jug, she will be putting in all her  paintings  from home this winter.
Sent from Frances - The last one  is a finished version of one I started last week. Have painted leaves in acrylic over the oil pastel and then used ink.
 Here are two pen and watercolour wash sketches done this week, done by Lesley both in the Yorkshire Dales. It has been cloudy all week so the colours are quite muted.

 View from Mermaid Rocks in foreground looking across Semerwater.
Carolyn has 2 offerings - The second one is a drawing of Bob an old English Sheepdog . Then I noted that you were all trying new marks, so got out my Art Pen did an abstract. Hannah likes a bit of colour added so that is what I tried. You said I should try different media and Carolyn did.
Sally L is the blogger next week when we will be having our exciting Watercolour workshop
0 Comments

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    January 2016
    September 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

- Site created by RWJames.